Defects

3- F.E.A.R.S

"We need to talk," Tyler said, "Now."

The group stepped back slowly. Natasha tried to run for the door, but Jasmine grabbed her wrist. "Tash, it's good" she whispered in reassurance. Josh put his hand on Tyler's shoulder. "Dude, you're scaring them," he said. "I agree with Josh, and can someone turn the damn lights on?" Jasmine said, stepping forward. Tyler reached behind him and flicked a switch, lighting up the room. It had a few small couches along the walls with a coffee table and a small carpet in the middle.

"Alright, please take a seat and then we can talk," Tyler said, whilst taking a seat next to Josh on one of the couches. Alice sat cross-legged on the couch opposite Tyler and Josh, and Esperenza sat next to her. Natasha sat down on the carpet next to the coffee table. By the time everyone took their seat, Jasmine was already on the coffee table, sitting right in front of Tyler and Josh. "Okay, what's going on? And why is it so important that you'd stop in front of us, and stare at us, then bring us back here to 'talk' about it?" Jasmine was the first one to speak. "Well...uh.." Josh stammered whilst rubbing the back of his neck. "It's hard to explain, and even then you'd think we're crazy." Tyler finished for Josh. "Do you guys know anything?" Josh asked. "Know what?" Natasha finally decided to join the conversation nervously. "About 'powers' or a secret organization?" Tyler queried. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but Tyler this actually does sound stupid and if you're being serious, none of us has ever heard of those before, unless it's in a story or something," Jasmine answered for the group. By this time Josh and Tyler didn't know how to explain it, and the group of friends were very confused. "Dude I think we might just have to tell them and hope they take it well," Josh whispered to Tyler. "Tell us what?" Jasmine asked, overhearing them, becoming a bit impatient. "Well there's this organization called F.E.A.R.S and they do illegal experiments on people to give them 'powers'...so they can...uh...um... take over the world," Josh said so quietly that the group just heard them.

"Wait for what?! This isn't funny and even then how do you guys know about it?!" Jasmine almost yelled. "Well, Josh and I are... um.. one of those people who have 'powers', Josh's power is that he can talk to cats," Tyler said kind of nervously. "Wait for cats? Like only cats?" Natasha said with a slight chuckle. "Yes, Josh can only speak with cats, and I can sense other people with 'powers', we're defects," Tyler said seriously. Then Alice's phone rang, and she picked it up. Everyone went silent. Several painfully long seconds passed before Alice put the phone down, looking distraught. "Guys, W-W-Will a-a-and Marcia... J-J-James said...tt-they were tt-talking a-a-and tt-then...they've been taken." She stammered. Natasha whipped her head around to face Tyler and Josh. "Do you know anything about this?!" She snapped.

Both the boys were speechless at this outburst. "N-n-no...u-u-unless they..." Josh stuttered. "Unless they what?" Alice asked impatiently. "We can't worry about them n-" Tyler started, but Alice interrupted him. "OF COURSE WE CAN! THEIR OUR FRIENDS AND THEY'VE JUST BEEN KIDNAPPED!" she shot back. "Just let us tell you what you are first!!" Tyler said loudly. Everyone stared at him in surprise. "Wait... what? What the fuck is this??" Natasha said in disbelief. "Well, you know how I stared at you outside the stadium? I sensed you, with my power. And I've already told you what that is. " Tyler said cautiously, looking at the floor. the girls looked at him with faces of shock and disbelief. "We're like you? Powers and everything?" Jasmine asked. "More than that. You're also defected. But only you three" Tyler said, and he pointed at Alice, Jasmine and Natasha.  Esperenza lets go of her breath in relief. "I know this is a lot to take in. You might not believe us, but you have to" Josh spoke up. "Wait, so what're our powers?" Jasmine asked. Tyler shrugged his shoulders, a lot more casually now that he had broken the news. "Dunno. That's my defect. I was meant to be able to detect enemies and what their powers were if they had any. We'll just have to find out the long way" he sighed. Everyone seemed to relax, now that everyone was up to date.

In the silence, Natasha checked her watch casually, then jumped up, ruining the calming silence. "Jasmine, your parents!! They're probably freckling out right now! The concert ended 15 minutes ago!" She said, grabbing Jasmine's arms "Oh shit!" Esperanza yelled, dragging Alice off the couch "We've gotta go as well!" and the group headed toward the door quickly. "Wait!" Tyler said, grabbing Alice by the arm, stopping Gemma. "We need to keep in contact. I'll give you our numbers" he said, motioning for someone to hand him their phone. "Not mine, too much fucked up shite on here," Alice said Jasmine, kept hers too, knowing of the many, many photos of them she had that she didn't want them to see. "For fuck's sake, mine it is then" Natasha sighed, and handed Tyler her phone. Moments later he handed it back and led them out. "Well, um, text you later I guess," he said kind of awkwardly. The group nodded, smiled and waved goodbye as they bolted out of the stadium, having the biggest fangirl moment along the way. The rest of the group nagged Natasha to text them the numbers she had been given, and she did. They very quickly arrived at the stadium doors but found they were closed. "Uh, well, shit," Jasmine said. Natasha immediately started dialling someone on her phone. "Who are you calling?" Jasmine asked. Natasha just put her finger to her lips as the phone rang. Then she started talking. "Hi! Yeah, sorry to use the number so soon but we need a way out. The front door is shut and locked for the night" she said and then nodded, followed by a couple of yes's, and then hang up. "They said to run back and use their back door," Natasha said, smiling. "Who?" Alice asked. "Tyler," Natasha said, running back toward the stage, the others close behind. They thanked Tyler and Josh as they left, said final goodbyes, then ran to where they had arranged to meet after the concert had ended. "Well, goodbye," Jasmine said to Alice and Esperenza as they parted ways. Arriving at the carpark, only one car was there.

They walked quickly to the car, too tired to run. "Jasmine where were you!?  We thought you guys had been kidnapped or wost!!" Jasmine's parents were flipping out. "Mum, Dad I'm so sorry! we won this backstage thing and we met Tyler and Josh but we were so excited that I forgot to text you. I'm sorry" Jasmine quickly apologised. "It's fine just make sure it doesn't happen again, okay?" Jasmine's mum replied. "Yes, Mum!" Jasmine agreed happily. Then they dove off.